A recurring theme in our responses actually stemmed from food choices made the day before the race, which then manifested themselves race morning. One competitor ate five high-fiber bars the day before IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta and suffered from gas issues. For another, the culprit was a Chipotle burrito with beans—no doubt a hearty post-race recovery choice, but maybe not the best bet before a race.

We took our pre-race eating blunders to seasoned competitor (and recent IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene winner) Heather Wurtele. She says that athletes often have their race-day nutrition practiced and planned down to 20 minute intervals, but fail to eat properly in the days leading up to the race.

"The foods that you’ve consumed the day before can be a big determinant of your GI status on race day, and have you racing strong or running to the porta-john," she says.

The day before a race is a busy one, full of important appointments like bike check-in and race briefings. With so much going on, it can be tough to stick to something as seemingly trivial as what you’re eating. Planning your food intake around your busy day is key. Bring some portable foods that are easy on your stomach. Having six high-fiber snack bars because they were all you could get your hands on may save the day calorie-wise, but come back to haunt you with bloating, gas and unwanted bathroom stops on race day.

→What I do: After a morning workout, I generally make a breakfast of gluten-free pancakes with almond butter, maple syrup and blueberries. I have bottles of Ultragen with me for calories and electrolytes and a Bonk Breaker while checking into transition. Lunch may involve something like hard-boiled eggs with avocado on a gluten-free bagel, and dinner of mashed yams and potatoes, with some fish and cooked spinach. I’ve tried these foods before racing in the past and they tend to sit well, so I stick to them.

Everyone is different: some swear by rice and chicken as a pre-race meal, others pasta, but the key is to keep it simple, easily digestible and balanced. You want to top up your glycogen stores, but avoid having excess fiber or saturated fats that tax your digestive system.

Practice your pre-race meal plan

You may swear you have your best Sunday rides after chowing down on three bean and pork burritos with extra hot sauce, but race morning nerves and running hard off the bike makes for a different digestive ballgame. If you have a smaller race, or a day where you plan to do a race simulation workout, prepare a meal plan for the day before to try it out—both for food choices and timing.

→What I do: Some swear by the adage "if it’s not cooked by you, don’t eat it" to avoid food poisoning of any sort. This can be more of a challenge if you are staying at a hotel for a race—especially in an exotic location. Picking simple items at restaurants, avoiding ice in drinks and buying bottled water can all help stave off digestive woes.

Before the Panama 70.3 this year I had "Calypso Chicken" (chicken, rice and cooked broccoli) at the TGI Friday’s attached to the hotel every night before the race, and brought my own instant hot cereal to eat race morning. You can hard-boil eggs in electric kettles (the handy flip-top kind), and I’ve even warmed up soup in a coffee pot.

Know that by settling for boring ("Can I get white rice instead of the conch fritters with wasabi salsa?") you are helping yourself prepare for your best race outcome. And remember, you’ll have plenty of time to try exciting local fare at the post-race celebration.